Switch-point assembly



May 12, 1925. 1,537,836

. s. M. LAUTER SWITCH POINT ASSEMBLY i i ed Feb. 1 1923 WITNESSES M/VE/VTQI? ATTORNEYS Patented May 12, l fiiti.

umrsn stares SIGMUND M. LAUTER, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SWITCH-POINT ASSEMBLY.

Application filed February 19, 1923..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIGMUND M. LAUTER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, inthe county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Switch-Point Assembly, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a switch point assembly and particularly to an assembly in which a plurality of switch points are to be mounted on a panelboard.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, efficient and durable assembly which can be very quickly and easily mounted on a panelboard.

Another object is to provide a construction in which the various switch points can be quickly and easily removed from the board and the assembly for replacement and repair.

A. further object is to provide an assembly in which the various points are firmly mounted while being positively insulated from the assembly to prevent short circuitm it still further object is to provide an assembly or unit on which a plurality of switch points may be rigidly mounted and spaced so that in applying this assembly in its proper relation to a panelboard the operation of attaching the assembly to the board can be made extremely simple and in a very short time.

Another object is to provide such an assembly as can be very quickly and easily put on the panelboard and assembled by any one not particularly skilled or expert in this art.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings, of which- Figure 1 illustrates a partial elevation of a panelboard with the switch point assembly attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is an elevation partly broken away of the supporting plate of the assembly;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a partial detail of the stiffening plate of the supporting plate;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the switch point construction.

The form of the invention shown in the drawings is a preferred form, although it is understood that modifications in the con Serial No. 620,113.

struction and arrangement of the parts and in the character of the materials used may be adopted Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention includes the application to a panelboard 1 of one or more switch points. Each of these switch points comprises a threaded member or stem 2 on which is fixed or suitably mounted a flange 3. This flange is preferably disposed not in the middle but nearer one end of the stem than the other so that the length of threads on one side of the flange is different from that on the other side. The ends of the stem or switch points are preferably pointed as indicated at 4L- and 5, for a purpose hereinafter to be designated. A clamping nut 6 is also tl'ireaded on the stem from either end as desired. A contacting head 7 is also provided and can be screwed on either desired end of the stem or points.

In order to mount these points on the panelboard, it is necessary to provide the panelboard with one or more apertures such as 8 through which the switch point stems 2 project. In accordance with my invention, the apertures 8 are provided larger than the diameter of the switch point stems, that is, so that these switch points can be very quickly and easily inserted through the panelboard; and then on that portion of the stems projecting beyond the board the contacting heads 7 are screwed so that the board is tightly clamped between the head 7 and the flange 3. If a panelboard of the standard gage is used, the shorter threaded end of the point is used; but if a thicker board is used, the longer threaded end can be thrust through the board and brought to the proper length by the use of one or more washers.

However, in order to facilitate the quick and easy assembly of a plurality of points, I have provided a switch point unit or assembly which includes a plate 9, preferably made of some rigid material such as metal. This plate 9 is provided with a plurality of apertures, such as 10, somewhat larger than the diameter of the switch point stems to project therethrough. This plate is provided for the purpose of giving rigidity to the assembly and substantially for no other purpose. On either side of this stiltening plate 9 I dispose plates, such as 11, of insulating material of any desired thickness. These plates are preferably made of the ening plate 9 makes the assembly rigid,

whereby it can be subjected to pressure without breaking or being deformed. Since the insulating plates are made of material which may be cracked or bent under undue pressure this stiifening plate is generally necessary.

Therefore, in ass-ociatinga plurality of switch points with a panelboard, I take the required form and size of stiffening plate with associated insulating plates and as-.

senible the proper number of switch points thereon. This assembly is effected by passing the threaded stems 2 through the holes in'the insulating plates, as shown in Fig.

8, and tightening the clamping nuts 6 thereon. When this plurality of switch points is thus mounted on the assembly, it will be observed that the assembly can be grasped as a single unit, and by pressing it firmly against the surface of the panelboard 1 the points at either end of the stems 2 can be used to mark or make indentations on the panelboard so that the centers of the holes through the panelboard can be accurately indicated in one operation without the necessity for laying the holes off by some laborious method. After the holes are properly drilled in the panelboard, it is merely necessary, therefore, to dispose the assembly or unit in proper relation with the panelboard, as shown in Fig. 3, and then to screw the contacting heads 7 on to the respective projecting ends of the stems 2. In this manner I have provided a very firm, strong, durable and yet simple assembly which can be made up in advance as desired and quickly mounted on any suitable panelboard without requiring any particular skill on the part of the operator. In order to connect suitable wires to the stem 2, it will be merely necessaryto wrap the desired wire around the stem and clamp it thereon with a nut or by soldering the connection without disassembling the switch-point unit.

Therefore, this invention concerns, first, a switch point that can be quickly applied by itself to a panelboard; seconcha switch-point assembly which can as a unit be quickly applied to a panelboard and involve the use of a plurality of switch" points ;-a-nd, third, the construction of the assembly its'elf5,;which aermits a plurality of switch points to be insulatingly mounted and yet so related to a common spring support as to be capable of the manipulation in the manner above described and for the purpose set forth.

What I claim is: A switch point unit which comprises, in combination, a panelboard having a plurality of apertures therein, a plurality of switch points passing loosely through said apertures, contacting caps on the projecting ends of said points, the ends of said points being pointed, a pair of insulating plates having apertures therein into which said points are threaded, a stiffening plate disposed between said insulating plates and having apertures larger in diameter than the apertures in the insulating plate, a flange on each point fixed thereto and disposed between the panelboard and one of said insulating plates, and a clamping nut threaded on to the end of each point opposite the end on which the contactin cap is threaded, said nuts adapted to hold the insulating plates against the flange.

SIGMUND M. LAUTER. 

